Chapter Text
It's a usual day on the rooftop. Tsukasa and Rui, the Weirdo Wombo Combo, are eating lunch together in the same place as always. Tsukasa's excitedly rambling about a musical he and Saki had watched the night prior, but Rui's only half paying attention.
He's more focused on how Tsukasa looks. How he gestures, how his eyes shine with excitement, how he sometimes presses his lips together in a restrained smile. It's really adorable in Rui's eyes.
Yeah, maybe he does have feelings for his beloved star. But would he ever confess?
No. Of course not.
Because, well, there's no way Tsukasa likes him back. Rui's insane, and always tests weird experiments on him, there's no way Tsukasa could ever develop feelings in return. So Rui keeps it to himself.
Rui attempts to sneak a vegetable from his box into Tsukasa's, but Tsukasa catches him. "Rui! Eat your damn vegetables!! Don't pile them onto my food!!"
"Aah, but Tsukasa-kun, you wouldn't force feed a poor man to eat a food he dislikes oh so much, would you~..?" A sly smile makes its way onto Rui's face as he starts teasing Tsukasa. "Come on~ Tsukasa-kun, just one bite of that delicious looking ginger pork~? Pretty please...?"
"Argh.. Fine..!" Rui doesn't get any more words out before a little bite of pork is shoved into his mouth. See, he always manages to get what he wants when it comes to Tsukasa.
Rui swallows it, sighing in contentment. "Mmh, thank you, Tsukasa-kun~. It's amazing as ever."
"Hah!! Of course it is!!!"
This is pure bliss. This is heaven. Everything will be fine if he says nothing about his feelings.
Though, unfortunately for him, fate doesn't agree.
Rui gets home at the end of the day, and while he's tightening a screw on a new drone for a show, he feels something in his mouth. Eugh, did he somehow get it in his mouth during lunch and not notice until now?
He quickly spits it out, and then continues working. But when he turns his head to get another bolt, he sees.. a petal...??
...
Who was it that mentioned some sort of disease relating to flowers? It was Mizuki, right? What was it..
Hanahaki. It was something about if you have an unrequited love, then flowers will develop in your lungs. Usually, in most cases, people die either from bloodloss or suffocating.
Ah..
So, there's really no point in telling Tsukasa. Besides, the only other option is to remove the flowers through surgery, which would kill the feelings in the process. And.. He'd rather not undergo a surgery, really. But he doesn't want Tsukasa, or anyone, to worry about him.
If he does die, they'll probably be able to figure out what caused it through an autopsy. He doesn't want Tsukasa knowing he was friends with someone who had feelings for him.
What would he think? He'd probably be disgusted. How couldn't he?
Another day, another excellent rehearsal. Though, this time, Rui isn't exactly sure what they're rehearsing. Tsukasa said it was a surprise, and that the ending would be revealed once it's the actual day of the performance. Emu and Nene have sworn to secrecy.
"Tsukasa-kun~ Really, do you have to keep the suspense up like this~? I don't think I can wait much longer~" Rui latches onto Tsukasa's back from behind, lightly poking the poor actor's cheek.
"You'll see it during the performance!! Be patient!!! Stop poking me!!" Tsukasa tries to swat Rui's hand away, even if he's actually enjoying the attention.
"Mmh, Tsukasa-kun~ I'm sure-sure I don-don't have the pa-patience-" Rui's stuttering gets shut off by a sudden cough- he doesn't feel nervous, why is he stuttering? He had a stuttering issue a few years ago, but he doesn't see what would cause it to resurface now—
"Eh? Rui-kun?!!" Emu rushes over while Tsukasa's holding Rui up.
Oh god. Rui feels like he's dying. There's something in his throat, but if he throws up now, he'll make a mess. "I'll get a trashcan..!" Nene shouts from across the stage eventually arriving with a trashcan, to which Tsukasa immediately leans Rui over.
Rui doesn't really remember what happens after that. He just blacks out. The last thing he hears is both Emu and Tsukasa shouting.
"We have to get Rui-kun home right now..!! Tsukasa-kun and Nene-chan will carry Rui and his stuff, I'll go get some medicine and food for when Rui-kun wakes up..!!" Emu darts away as she finishes speaking, eventually leaving the park with her things and wallet.
"I'll get Rui's stuff, then, since I assume you can lift him.." Nene goes back stage, grabbing hers and the two boy's stuff.
"Rui. Rui, wake up!" Tsukasa doesn't really know why he's trying to wake Rui up, but he's pretty damn freaked out. Who can blame him? Rui just puked out fucking flower petals, and then basically just knocked out in his arms.
He eventually lifts Rui into his arms after Nene comes back and he's able to get his back over his shoulder.
Rui wakes up hours later in... His bedroom?? He's not usually in his bedroom, almost never. He's really out of it, all he can register is a hand carding through his hair and somebody with green hair sitting by his bed. Who the hell..?
"Oh, Rui-kun!! You're awake! Are you okay?!" A high-pitched, concerned voice is trying to talk to Rui, but he doesn't really understand what its saying. Everything's really fuzzy right now. "Emu, give him a second, he just woke up." Emu...? And somebody else?
"Hm.....? Emu..-kun...?" Rui tries to speak coherently, squinting up at the pink haired girl as she steps closer.
"I'll go make you some yummy soup, Rui-kun!! It'll help you feel better, and I'll be extra careful not to put veggies in it!! You stay here with Nene-chan and Tsukasa-kun!"
So the green haired girl is Nene, meaning... Tsukasa's petting him-? "Wh.. Tsukasa-kun...?" Rui would reach up to grab Tsukasa's hand, but he's completely wrapped up in a blanket.
He's trying really hard to stay awake. "Rui, don't force yourself to stay awake. We'll wake you up when Emu comes back. Well, I will... Tsukasa..." Nene's words fade into the back of Rui's head as he passes out again.
He's woken up after a bit and force fed soup by Tsukasa, and then passes out once again. This time, when he wakes up, the other three are gone.
He still feels sick to his stomach.
They won't question it, right?